Easily distracted by shiny objects.

November 30, 2012

Totebaggers, the real Middle Americans

More: Balloon Juice has a thread on totebaggers. I believe totebaggers are reasonable and fair-minded, affluent, well educated people who vote for Republicans sometimes and Democrats other times. I know a lot of people like this. They carry around those tote bags you get for contributing to PBS. Frequent PBS commentator David Brooks seems like a fair minded individual to a totebagger, if somewhat conservative in his inclinations. His voice is well modulated and soothing. It is hard for a totebagger to discern the difference between the calm and reasonable tones of David Brooks and those of, say, Bill Moyers, even though Moyers is saying completely different things from David Brooks.

Remember the late Louis Rukeyser? We loved to watch Wall Street Week. That was our Friday evening treat! (I know, I know. Pathetic.) All those Wall Streeters would tell us with great authority how, where and why to invest. Ruckeyser made us feel very safe. I can hear his voice and see his face before me as I type this. It was the way it all seemed so solid, you know. And many people lost a lot of assets as they indulged in the warm fantasies of financial security and even wealth these people promised.

Comments

I really haven't been either side of this-- liberal or conservative and only got really adamant on the need to vote Democratic when the Republicans went so far over the side. I called myself a moderate and yest supported NPR at times but did also appreciate certain conservative values. I think the right wing and Republican acceptance of that has forced a lot of us who would be moderates to choose a side rigidly where although we often voted left, it wasn't a given. It is now.

On the other hand, unlike Corey Flintof, there is always---MOI. My New Year's Resolution was to eschew the "F bomb" to deep six it, to say sayonara, to quit on the grounds that no good ever comes from the "F bomb." Turns out this was the easiest New Year's Resolution of all time. I have completely succeeded in my promise and it is now December. Eleven months of f-less clean living. I'm ready to be the Scoutmaster of a Mormon Boy Scout troop!

Hank: NOoooooooo! I mean about the Mormon Boy Scout troop thing.
Guess that cancelling your HBO subscription has helped you keep your resolution. So what DO you say when you drop something on your foot?